Study on the Gemological Characteristics of Amber from Myanmar and Chinese Fushun

Abstract

This paper researches on the gemological characteristics of amber from Myanmar and Chinese Fushun by using of the basic instruments of gemology, SEM and FT-IR. The results show that the refractive index is approximately 1.54 both in Myanmar and Fushun amber, resin glossy as well as conchoidal fracture. While the hardness of Myanmar amber is much higher and it has a dark lyons blue ultraviolet fluorescence; Fushun amber is much more transparent, medium kashima ultraviolet fluorescence and coal coveres on its surface. In addition, the fracture in Myanmar amber is more obvious compared with Fushun amber.The infrared spectrums prove that Myanmar amber has the absorption peak of CO stretching vibration at 1730cm -1 , while Fushun amber is at 1700cm; the absorption peak of CH 3 asymmetric stretching at 2950cm -1 of Myanmar amber is also different from Fushun amber which is at 2960cm -1 . As a result, this paper provides basic identification between Myanmar amber and Chinese Fushun amber in gemology.